On the Ledge
by ForeverFic
Summary: Izuku's on the ledge. Up here, such an important decision seems so simple. Just one step, and it'll all be over. Kacchan won't have to worry about him anymore and neither will his mother, really. She won't have to worry about him coming home with bruises and broken bones if he doesn't come home at all.
1. Chapter 1

Izuku's on the ledge.

Up here, such an important decision seems so simple. Just one step, and it'll all be over. Kacchan won't have to worry about him anymore and neither will his mother, really. She won't have to worry about him coming home with bruises and broken bones if he doesn't come home at all.

She'll be racked with grief at first, of that he has no doubt. Inko Midoriya will weep over the boy she couldn't save. That's just the woman she is, always bearing the weight of the world on her shoulders. That's probably where he gets it from. Her tears will last a couple of weeks until she realizes how much of a burden her son had been and how much easier life is without him.

Completely ignoring the financial difficulties she faces because of him, she'll no longer have to worry about her _quirkless_ son. He's one of the twenty percent of the population born without a special power, a quirk. She won't have to deal with his fanboy obsessions. She won't have to deal with his emotional burdens. She won't have to deal with _him_.

It will be a blessing in disguise, really. With this thought, his mind is made up. He shifts his weight to his left foot as he raises his right off the railing.

"What are you doing?"

The voice is so deep and sudden that he loses his balance and feels gravity sink its claws into his chest, yanking him towards the ground. When he feels the weightlessness and faces the ground, his inevitable demise, his first feeling is regret. How could he ever leave his mother all alone? She's never going to know how sorry he is for being so selfish.

As suddenly as he's falling, he just as suddenly stops.

He doesn't hold back his cry of pain when his torso is jerked, a rib undoubtedly cracked, if not broken, by the force. Izuku looks down and sees worn grey fabric wrapped around his chest. Whatever it is, it's stopped his descent and he's grateful.

His injured ribs are jostled even more as he's pulled back to the top of the building. The fabric lets Izuku go after he's been safely deposited on the roof. He looks up at his savior. It takes less than a second for the fanboy to recognize him. He's tall and lean with long black hair and a pair of yellow goggles laying against his chest.

"Eraserhead! What are y—"

"Are you alright kid?"

The question catches Izuku off guard, but his response is automatic. "Oh, yeah. Thank you."

"What were you doing on the ledge? Just because you have a quirk, that doesn't make you invincible."

Izuku's mouth clamps shut. Of course. Eraserhead is a professional hero with an amazing quirk. He can remove other people's powers just by looking at them. Granted, he has to maintain eye contact for it to work, but the only danger in his world comes from villains, failed rescues, and paparazzi. Why would he automatically assume Izuku's actions to have such a sinister end? Now Izuku is nauseous and his stomach is rolling.

There's no way he can admit his weaknesses in front of one of the greats now. He doesn't want to think about how Eraserhead would look at him once he knew that Izuku would rather take his own life than deal with being quirkless. His problems seem so insignificant compared to what the hero must go through every day. If he had any hope left that he could be a pro, it just vanished.

"Kid?"

"I was…" Izuku sighs, "just being stupid. You're right, I should be more careful. After all, you can't rely on quirks for everything. Thanks again, for the help, Eraserhead. I'll just, um, be going, then."

Izuku braces his torso with his arm as he stands up and heads to the door that leads downstairs. He knows he regretted it in the moment, but now that he has time to think, maybe it would've been best if Eraserhead hadn't stopped him. After all, it isn't like anything's going to change. Kacchan is still going to pick on him, his mother will still worry, and he'll still be quirkless.

He's almost to the door when a hand on his shoulder stops him. Izuku turns around to see Eraserhead frowning with his eyes closed. They're probably always dry, from having to keep them open all the time.

"Idiot. I figured my scarf probably jerked you too hard, but I didn't think you'd lie about it."

Izuku stammers, "I wasn't really lying, I just didn't want you to worry, especially after you saved me. And really, they don't hurt that bad, just a little sore is all. I just need rest and they'll be fine."

"Don't be an even bigger idiot," Eraserhead sighs. "If it's your ribs, they might need pins. Take your jacket off so I can look at them."

Izuku would normally jump at the opportunity to be able to spend so much time with a pro hero like this, but he's emotionally raw from recent events and just wants to go home. Eraserhead did just save his life, though, and he doesn't want to be rude.

"Okay."

Izuku manages to unbutton his black uniform jacket by himself but quickly finds that he doesn't have the mobility needed to roll his arms out of the sleeves. The hero notices and kneels to help him silently, red dusting the younger boy's face alongside his freckles. How pathetic.

Eraserhead probes his chest over top of his shirt. When one rib gives way to the pressure and Izuku cries out, they have the answer they're looking for.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Izuku watches as Eraserhead unravels his scarf from around his neck, instead using it to bind Izuku's injury. It's not tight, but it's rigid and keeps him from moving too much. Izuku finds the pressure soothing. "Let's go," Eraserhead says as he stands back up and turns away.

"Wait!" Izuku calls out, rushing to catch up to him. "Where are we going?"

The hero doesn't turn to face him when he answers. "Where do you think? To a doctor, you need a proper wrap and I need my scarf back."

Izuku doesn't take the cold tone personally. After all, the man probably has a lot of stuff to do. So, he follows behind him quietly, intent on making their excursion as short as possible. This social interaction is becoming exhausting and he doesn't want to be a burden anymore than he already has.

They get into a taxi instead of walking, probably so his rib doesn't move any more than necessary. To his surprise, they pass the general hospital. "I thought you said we were going to a doctor?"

Eraserhead nods. "We are, but I have a friend at work with a healing quirk that will cut your recovery time by more than half."

"Oh, okay." Izuku isn't sure if he wants someone to use their quirk on him, but he's willing to do anything if it means his mom doesn't find out about what he'd done. Well, _tried_ to do. The rest of the ride is silent.

When the cab pulls onto U.A.'s campus, Izuku is astonished. U.A. is the top high school for training future pro heroes. He's been meaning to sign up for a tour for a while, but he hasn't been able to muster up the courage. He doesn't think he's going to at all, now.

They step out of the car and Izuku watches Eraserhead scan a keycard before the gate opens. As they're walking, they pass several pro heroes and Izuku feels like he's going to pass out. Not only are there pro heroes, but he recognizes several students from previous sports festivals the high school hosts in order to match their students with hero agencies. There are so many big shots here, so much potential in one place.

Izuku's heart swells for a moment in excitement, until the pit that formed in his stomach when he made the decision to step off the roof grows. Not even a year ago, he would've died from happiness just by being here, but now, he feels like that pit is going to consume him. He can't bear the smiles of all these people, it just reminds Izuku that this will never be his life.

He's never going to have a quirk. He's never going to pass the entrance exam without a quirk, nor will he be a student. He won't have training regimens or tests. He won't be surrounded by classmates, or comrades in arms, or even friends that share his passion for helping people, for making a difference.

He probably won't even make it to high school.

They finally stop outside what looks like an infirmary. Izuku follows Eraserhead inside and sees a young man in a white coat sitting at a desk by the window. The room is filled with several beds and medical equipment, yet it doesn't feel like a hospital or doctor's office. It feels warm.

"Where's Recovery Girl?"

The man looks up and frowns. "There was a building collapse in Hosu this morning, so she's there attending to the injured."

Eraserhead nearly growls in frustration. "That's just great."

"Is there something I can help you with instead?"

The hero gestures towards Izuku. "He's got a broken rib. I bound them with my scarf, but that's not exactly feasible."

He nods in understanding. "Of course, I'm Dr. Himura. If you would hop up on a bed so I can take a look. Do you need assistance?" Izuku shakes his head and sits on the bed. Once settled, Eraserhead reclaims his scarf by unwinding it. "Can you get this shirt off? If not, I'm afraid I'll have to cut it." Himura tells him

Izuku knows the answer to that question without having to attempt it. "That's okay," he says. "I have more at home."

The doctor nods and pulls out a pair of scissors from a nearby drawer. While snipping off the fabric, he goes through a series of questions. "What's your name? How old are you? How did this happen, what where you doing? Any pain or difficulty breathing?"

"Midoriya Izuku. Fourteen. I fell and Eraserhead caught me with his scarf. No difficulty breathing. Slight discomfort."

Himura is much gentler with his probing than Eraserhead was. He doesn't apply pressure so much as he gently taps. He can tell which one of the two is a medical professional. "There's definitely injury, but we won't know more until we get an x-ray. Putting any kind of pressure on this type of injury, especially if the rib is broken, is dangerous. It can pierce a lung, rupture blood vessels, or even pierce your liver."

He pulls out a tablet seemingly from nowhere and taps the screen a few times. "Alright, I've ordered one, we can go take it in ten minutes or so. Who should we contact?"

Izuku's blood freezes as his mother comes to mind. Eraserhead might not see Izuku's decision for what it was, but his mother would. She's spent the past fourteen years dealing with his downward spiral, after all. "N-no, that's okay. I can… I can call them myself… later."

Himura hesitates and Izuku can feel Eraserhead looking at him from where he's perched himself on another bed. Neither of them says anything. "Alright then. And I forgot to ask earlier, but what's your quirk?"

Izuku doesn't know what comes over him. The answer is simple – he doesn't have one – but he had already hinted to Eraserhead that he has one, and to deny it now would only draw even more suspicion to himself. His favorite hero, All Might, is what pops into his head.

"Strength Augmentation."

The second the words are out of his mouth, he knows he's fucked up. Wow, he did not think that through at all. He can feel two pairs of eyes roaming up and down his figure. They no doubt realize that he doesn't have a single fiber of muscle in his whole body. Not only that, but someone with a strength quirk wouldn't break their rib after being jerked by _fabric_.

It's an obvious lie, one they're surely going to comment on. Then, not only will he have to admit he doesn't have one, he now has to admit to lying about it. God, he's so pathetic. Why did he ever think he could be a hero? His chest tightens and it's not because of his ribs. His eyes burn and his breath hitches.

Izuku is going to sob.

This is too much – **too much**. He wants the ground to swallow him whole. He wishes Eraserhead never became a hero, then he would never have gotten that stupid scarf and never have felt the need to stop Izuku. But it's not the hero's fault, it's Izuku's. He wouldn't be in this mess if he could just _kill himself_ right. He's so pathetic. He can't even do that right. How is he going to face his mother? How could he ever look Kacchan in the eyes again after this?

He won't. Look Kacchan in the eyes, that is. Izuku grounds his resolve. The second he's out of here, he's trying again. Probably something less public, if the past couple hours of his life are anything to go by. He doesn't want anything too painful, otherwise, he'll chicken out. He also doesn't want anything too violent, he doesn't want to upset his mother any more than necessary, nor does he want her to be the one to find him. So, that rules out anything at home. Maybe he can find a secluded room at school somewhere, or—

"Okay. We can probably head down now, Midoriya."

"What?"

"Your chest x-rays," Himura reminds.

"Oh, right."

Izuku hops off the bed and the doctor hands him a towel. "I don't know if you want this or not, but I thought I'd offer so you wouldn't have to walk down the hall shirtless."

"Yeah, thanks." Izuku takes it from him and wraps it around his shoulders.

Eraserhead stands up with him, hands in his pockets and scarf wrapped around his neck again. "I have to get back to work, but I'll be back to check on you later." He leaves the room without waiting for an answer.

Following the hero's lead, Himura shows Izuku out of the room and down the hall. He's immediately reminded of the x-ray done on his foot when he was a kid to prove he was quirkless. The ever-growing pit in his stomach picks up its pace of trying to consume him whole. So far, Izuku thinks it's doing a pretty good job.

"Okay, do you have any metal inside your torso already? Pins or anything else of that nature?" Himura asks. Izuku shakes his head.

"Okay, then if you'll step over here. I'm going to put this apron on over your waist, it's going to be a bit heavy. There we go." Himura leaves him in front of the machine so he can work it. "Alright, we'll take pictures from a few different angles. Take as deep of a breath as you can and hold it, even if it hurts a little, and hold still… okay, now turn to your right… great, now your left… and we're done."

Himura makes quick work of taking the apron off Izuku and giving him back his towel. He hits a few buttons on the machine and on the tablet he brought with them before leading him back to the infirmary. Izuku settles back in the bed as the doctor steps out for a moment. When he comes back, he's holding a light blue bag and another towel.

"I know it's not going to be pleasant, but your chest is going to start swelling if it hasn't already. Would you mind laying down for me?" Izuku does as he's asked. Himura lays the towel he brought with him over his chest. He shakes the blue bag in his hand a couple of times before laying it on top of the towel. The chill he feels isn't painful, but he wouldn't call it comfortable either.

"The cold will help reduce the swelling, as well as a very minimal numbing agent. Even if it's not broken, I want you to ice your chest for 20 minutes every two hours for the next several days. I'm going to go work on the x-ray, it'll be a while. Why don't you call whoever it is you need to? I have a feeling that you have at least fractured a rib, if not broken one. We have plenty of room, and you don't have to worry about any medical expenses since this is a school, not a hospital. You can stay as long as you need - few hours or a couple days, whenever you feel better."

"Thank you, Dr. Himura," Izuku says, even though he doesn't feel very grateful. He just wants to be alone.

Himura nods and smiles gently. "Of course, Midoriya. I hope you feel better."

The doctor steps out of the room and Izuku sighs in relief. His gaze falls on the phone next to his bed. He wasn't planning on telling his mother anything, but if he's going to be here overnight – which it looks like he will be – then he needs to tell her something or she's going to worry. He doesn't want to tell her what happened, though, because then she'll know, and he doesn't want to see the pain in her eyes or hear the tremble in her voice when she realizes what he had tried to do.

So, lie it is. He can do that. Maybe. The problem is that there's nothing that he can think of that would warrant him being gone all night. It's not like he has any friends that he would spend the night with. He can try something school-related, but it's so last minute and he doesn't know what it would be.

Izuku pulls the ice and towel off his chest as he sits up. He reaches over with a trembling hand and picks up the phone. He can hear the dial tone loud and clear, but it takes him a few minutes to actually dial his mother's number.

It rings once, twice, _"Hello?"_

"M-Mom? It's Izuku."

He can hear shuffling on the other side of the phone. No doubt she's switching her cell phone to her shoulder to free up her hands. She's probably cooking dinner. _"Hey Izuku! I don't recognize this number, where is your phone?"_

Izuku didn't bring anything with him up to the roof, he didn't want to risk seeing anything that would change his mind. "Oh, I left it at home."

_"Oh, Honey, you can be so careless sometimes. I was thinking about—" _

Izuku's attention is dragged away from his mother when the door opens. He expects to see the doctor but is surprised when a husk of a man walks in. The man looks like nothing more than skin on a skeleton and his yellow suit is about four sizes too big for him. He has yellow hair that is wild and untamed, yet his blue eyes are piercing.

The man looks around the room, probably looking for the same Recovery Girl that Eraserhead was. His gaze moves to the empty desk and then to Izuku. Izuku feels bare under the man's gaze and not just because he doesn't have a shirt on. The man continues to stare at him for another minute or so before he sighs and sits on one of the beds across from him.

_"What do you think Izuku?... Izuku?"_

"Yeah, Mom, sorry, I, um…" The man is still scrutinizing him from across the room. It's distracting. "I won't be home tonight."

_"Oh, really? How come?"_

Izuku can't look at anybody when he lies, so he breaks eye contact with the skeleton and instead focuses on the bag of ice in his lap. "I completely forgot about a project that's due Friday, so I'm going to stay at my partner's house tonight so we can finish it."

"Friday's in two days! First your phone and now this project, you're never this forgetful. Is everything okay, dear?"

Izuku bites his lip and squeezes the sheets of the bed. "Yeah, I'm fine."

_"Promise?"_

Izuku sighs. "Promise."

They quickly say goodbye after that. His mother asks him to send her his partner's information in case anything happens. Izuku agrees even though he will do no such thing because no such partner exists. He hangs up the phone.

Now with that chore out of the way, Izuku lays back down in bed and replaces the towel and ice over his chest. It's starting to ache now, but it's not painful yet. He closes his eyes and tries to relax since he'll be sleeping here tonight, but he can still feel the other man staring at him. Silence fills the room except for the sounds of their breathing and the occasional cough of the man across the room.

"Young man," the other says. His voice is gravelly. Izuku doesn't want to talk to him. He just wants some peace and quiet, so he ignores him.

"Young man."

Except he can't. "Yes?"

"This may be none of my business," the man begins. Izuku opens his eyes to look at him. "But why did you tell your mother you were with a classmate? Aren't you hurt?"

He's right, it is none of his business. Izuku ignores the first question. "Yeah. Dr. Himura and Eraserhead both think I broke a rib."

"Whose class are you in?"

"Oh, I'm not a student here."

The man's eyes widen. "If you're not a student then why—" A knock at the door cuts him off. Himura steps in with a folder in his hand. His gaze sweeps the room and his eyes land on the other man.

"I didn't realize we had another guest. What can I do for you?"

The man waves his hands. "Don't worry about me. I'm waiting on Recovery Girl to get back."

Himura nods and turns his attention to Izuku. "Your x-rays are done. Are you alright with looking at them here?" Izuku nods. He pulls several large sheets out of the envelope and hangs them on a special light on the wall. Himura flips it on and images of Izuku's chest are lit up.

"As you can see here," Himura says as he points to a specific rib. Izuku can see the crookedness of it, as well as the break. "You definitely have a broken rib on your right side. You also have two hairline fractures here on your left." When he points this time, Izuku can't see anything.

"For someone with a strength quirk, it's surprising that Eraserhead's scarf did that much damage. Regardless, you're pretty lucky. If you had broken one of these ribs instead, I would've recommended you go to the hospital and have surgery to pin them together, otherwise, they could've pierced your lung. How's your pain right now?"

"It's starting to get worse, but I can handle it."

Himura nods. "Alright. If it gets to be too much, just let me know and I'll give you some medicine for it."

"Thanks."

Now that their conversation is over, Himura returns to his desk. Izuku looks back over, not surprised that the other man is still staring at him. Izuku waits, but he doesn't say anything. Whatever is on his mind, now that Himura is back, he remains silent. The room returns to the quiet from earlier with the additional sound of Himura writing.

Eraserhead returns an hour later. He doesn't pay any attention to Himura or the other man. Instead, he makes his way straight towards Izuku's bed.

"What's the verdict?" he asks.

Izuku feels like he hasn't been the center of this much attention since, well, ever. "One is broken and two are fractured."

Eraserhead sighs, "Sounds about right." There's an awkward stretch of silence before he speaks again. "I'm sorry." The hero is looking at the ground.

Izuku's eyes widen. "Sorry for what?"

"For startling you. You probably wouldn't have fell if I hadn't. I also could've grabbed a leg instead or your waist. Either way, you got hurt because of my actions. The least I can do is make sure your injury is attended to."

He's right, it is his fault. If Eraserhead hadn't grabbed him, he wouldn't be dealing with this right now. Sure, he would've had regrets, but what difference would it have made in the end? You wouldn't choose the path Izuku had if your life was perfect. But he can't put that kind of blame on Eraserhead, or Kacchan, for that matter. Eraserhead was just doing his job and Kacchan is just a kid. No different than he is. It's not Kacchan's fault that he doesn't have a quirk, nor is it his friend's fault that society as a whole mocks him for it.

"Don't apologize. You were just doing your job. I probably would've gotten more hurt if you hadn't stepped in. Thank you." The words burn in the back of his throat.

Eraserhead seems content with his answer and leaves a few minutes later, shortly followed by Himura. Izuku removes the ice from his chest once the condensation on the bag leaves the towel under it soaking wet. The sun sets outside. Izuku settles into his bed. By now, there's a distinct pain in his torso, a slow but steady throb that comes and goes.

When it's completely dark, Izuku feels a pang of loneliness. The room is cold and quiet. The crisp sheets of the bed only serve to remind Izuku that he's not at home. The pain in his chest reminds him of what he tried to do – of what he still needs to do. But these thoughts aren't new. Loneliness has become a frequent companion at night, especially when his mother is working late.

"Are you asleep yet, young man?"

Although the man had been annoying earlier, Izuku welcomes the distraction. "Midoriya. Midoriya Izuku."

That must not have been what the other man was expecting. "Oh… Yagi Toshinori."

"Yagi, do you… do you think…" Izuku has to stop to take in a breath. His eyes are burning again, but in the dark, he lets the tears flow freely. He doesn't know what he's trying to ask or why. He knows what the answer will be, all the same. "Do you think that someone without a quirk can become a hero?"

There's a moment of silence. "Without a quirk?... Some of the villains out there are just too powerful. So no, honestly, I don't think anyone could become a hero if they don't have a quirk. They could always try other professions to help, like a police officer or firefighter or even a doctor. It's okay for someone to have dreams… they just have to make sure those dreams are attainable, reasonable."

Izuku doesn't know why he thought Yagi's answer would be any different, but for some reason, it feels like the final nail in the coffin.

"Yes, of course."


	2. Chapter 2

"How did your project go, Izuku?" his mother asks as she steps into the living room. She's just gotten off work.

"It went well," Izuku replies from his spot on the couch. He had left U.A. earlier that day but had come home instead of finishing what was left of the school day. His mother doesn't need to know that though. For once, he's thankful he doesn't have any friends. No one will call or stop by to check in on him or give him missed work.

"That's good. I'll go ahead and get started on dinner, then. What would you like?"

"Anything's fine," Izuku shrugs. "I'm not too picky."

His mother nods and heads into the kitchen to prep whatever it is she's decided on. Izuku listens to the sounds of her washing and cutting vegetables. The repetition is therapeutic.

When they sit together for dinner, Izuku makes an effort to eat even though he isn't hungry. He pushes the remaining food around on his plate to make it seem like he's eaten more than he had. They hadn't given him anything at U.A., but he hadn't asked for anything either. He's sure if he had asked, they would've found something. They are heroes, after all.

Once Izuku's eaten half of his meal he excuses himself to his room with the excuse of schoolwork to do. His mother looks between his plate and his eyes, but if she has any concerns, she doesn't voice them. She nods and he leaves the table in favor of his room.

He purposely avoids eye contact with all of the All Might memorabilia in his room. It's a feat in and of itself. Considering his room is filled to the brim with his favorite hero. Izuku can't handle the weight of those sharp blue eyes on him, even if they aren't real. He doesn't deserve to be in the presence of the symbol of Peace. If they ever met, Izuku knows the pro hero would be disappointed in him.

Izuku doesn't blame him, he can't even decide what he wants.

That's not to say that he _wants_ to die. He loves his mom and Kacchan, even if the ever-distant boy doesn't share the sentiment anymore. He also enjoys his hero analysis. All of these things are temporary, though. Eventually, Kacchan will go to U.A. without him, severing whatever relationship they have left. Eventually, Izuku will leave his mother when he moves out. He's already decided to stop his hero analysis now that he's accepted the fact that he'll never become a pro.

Once all of these things are gone, Izuku will have nothing left. He'll go to a dead-end job every day only to come home to an empty house. Izuku already knows what loneliness feels like, how it hurts, and he doesn't want to imagine it getting worse. So, in order to save him all that pain in the long-run, his choice seems clear.

Sure, he regretted his decision when he fell, but that's natural. Everyone fears death. Izuku won't let that one moment of weakness change his mind. He's doing everyone a favor, even the pros. After all, he doesn't have a quirk. He's weak. If he ever gets caught up in a Villain attack, he won't be able to do anything. He'll just be in the way, and he _refuses_ to be something that can be used against the heroes. He would rather die than be the reason a villain wins.

So, no, Izuku doesn't want to die, but it's the best course of action for everyone involved. Everyone benefits in the long-run. Izuku's willing to be that sacrifice. That's what heroes do, isn't it? He might not be one, but that doesn't mean he can't act like one.

With his mind made, Izuku turns the lights off and slips into his bed. It's still early, but he's exhausted and his chest is beginning to hurt. He debates on grabbing a bag of ice from the kitchen before he goes to sleep but his mom is probably still cleaning dishes. She'll ask questions he doesn't have answers to.

Despite being tired, sleep eludes him for hours. He's plagued by thoughts of his mom finding out about what happened Wednesday and not being upset about it, about her being more upset that he was saved than that he tried to jump in the first place. He fears Kacchan learning about it and offering to help him do the deed. Then Izuku wonders about what would happen if he did talk to Kacchan about it.

His childhood friend would probably laugh at him and say good riddance. He would have yet another reason to call him weak. This much Izuku knows, but what would he say if Izuku were to ask for his help? Kacchan does hate him after all, and it was his idea to begin with. He knows what it's like to be on the receiving end of his quirk. It would hurt, Izuku knows from experience, but he doesn't think it'd be enough to kill him in one hit. Izuku wants something quick. Something easy.

Not only that, but Izuku knows that Kacchan is a good person. He may not act like it, but that's just a face he puts on. Kacchan wants to be a hero. He wants to be just like All Might, and between the two of them, he has the biggest chance of actually doing it. Izuku is haunted by these thoughts until dawn. He's not sure when exactly he drifts off, but he wakes to his mom gently shaking him.

"Izuku, you're going to be late for school if you don't get up." He's so groggy that it takes a few moments for the words to penetrate his mind. When he makes no immediate move to get up, Inko frowns. "Do you feel alright, Izuku? You don't seem to have a fever, but you didn't eat much last night and you look worn out."

Izuku sees the scenario as the escape that it is. If he can pretend to be sick, then his mother won't question his absence from school. He's not ready to face anyone he knows yet. "Sorry, Mom. My stomach's been hurting." More like his ribs, but it's not a complete lie.

His mom smiles and laughs softly. "Don't apologize Izuku! I have to go to work soon, will you be alright on your own? And what about your project, isn't that due today?"

Izuku tries to do the math in his head. Eraserhead stopped him Wednesday, he came home yesterday, which was Thursday, which makes today Friday. Was that when he told her his project was due? Is this a trick question? Does she _know? _He can't remember, but it won't matter in the end. "Yeah, my partner has it. I'll text him later."

"Okay. Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything, okay?"

Izuku nods. Inko kisses her son's head before she stands and leaves his room. He watches her leave and is overwrought with grief for lying. Now she'll spend her whole day worrying over him. Can he not do anything right?

He continues to lay in bed for several hours, trying to catch up on sleep while he has the chance, but it still eludes him. This is the second day he's missed school in a row. It's the first time Izuku's ever skipped and he's surprised that it's as easy as it is. He wonders if Kacchan's noticed yet. Probably. After all, who else was going to be his punching bag? Is Kacchan worried about him? Probably not.

It's well after noon by the time Izuku drags himself from the bed, no real plan in mind. His ribs shift around as he sets up and he decides that now is as good a time as any to ice them. He might even grab a snack while he's there too. It'll be at least another few hours until his mom gets home from work, so he has options.

The ice is as cold and sharp as he remembers. He pulls off the jacket that he's been wearing since Wednesday. Once this is done, he's going to take a nice long bath. As Izuku's about to put a towel over himself, he notices deep purple splotches spanning across his torso. He prods one out of curiosity but is quick to pull his fingers back at the sting it elicits. Not wanting to look at them anymore, he finally covers himself with the towel and ice. They're just a reminder of what's happened.

He turns on the tv and flips through the channels. When he catches a brief glimpse of All Might's face, he quickly backpedals until he finds the right station. It's the local news of the anchor speaking with the symbol of Peace.

_"All Might, we're so glad to have a moment of your time! What brings you to Musutafu?"The woman asks as she points a microphone in the hero's face._

_"What a plus-ultra question! __I've tracked a villain I've been perusing here, but do not worry citizens," All Might smiles at the camera as he gives it a thumbs-up, "for I am here!"_

Izuku can't help his mind racing. A villain, here, in Musutafu? For All Might to tail them himself, they must be a big player. Well, that's not quite right. All Might goes after almost any and all criminals he comes across. But who would be able to actually evade the number one hero? He could have some sort of stealth quirk that works well for escape. That could also be why no one has reported any sightings.

When he realizes he's rambling, Izuku bites his lips shut and turns off the television. The resounding silence is heavy but not unwelcome. For the first time in a while, Izuku lets his mind stay blank, soaking in the bliss of nothingness. Once another ten minutes pass, he clears away the ice and heads to the bathroom. It's time to cash in on that bath he'd promised himself. What he'll do afterward is still up for debate.

Stripping off the rest of his clothes, he fills the tub with water just below scalding. Izuku forces his eyes away from the splotches on his skin until he settles into the water. He goes through the motions of cleaning his body and hair. The feeling of the oil buildup washing off is refreshing in a way he isn't expecting.

Izuku turns onto his side with his arm under his head. The water of the bath rests along his jawline enough for his ear to be submerged. The gentle sway of the hot water lulls Izuku to a sense of calmness. He contemplates just slipping under the surface and letting nature take its course. It would be quick and easy, relatively painless. It'd be like falling asleep. He closes his eyes and begins to sink.

For a moment, the world is silent. There's the familiar thump in his ears of his heart. Despite the situation, it's calm and steady. His body moves with the water, is enveloped by it. It's a cocoon of warmth he doesn't want to leave. An itch creeps into his lungs that settles into a burn. At first, it's similar to the ache of an overworked muscle, but it quickly escalates into the sensation of the sun boiling him alive. So, not painless, then.

It doesn't matter, just a few more moments, and then he'll finally have bliss. If his eyes were open, he knows there would be black spots dancing across his vision. The thumping of his heart has been replaced by ringing. Loud, cacophonous ringing that sounds like the school's marching band has invited themselves into his head. Are his ears bleeding? They feel like they are. Or maybe that's just the feeling of life leaving his body. He's strangely numb now. Cotton is making his mind distant, unattached. He finally gives in to the pain and takes in a lungful of water.

The last-minute thought of his mother is what forces Izuku to resurface. He hacks and sputters and chokes. The water leaves his body but he still feels like he's drowning. His body is trembling and jerking, heaving and twitching. Izuku turns and vomits into the toilet next to the bath. He feels last night's dinner clawing its way out of his stomach and mouth. The burning in his chest spreads to his throat and gums. Even after his stomach is empty, his body continues to rebel and convulse. Liquids are pouring out of him from his nose, his lips, his ears. Izuku wouldn't be surprised if he's pissed himself at some point as well.

Pulling himself out of the water was a miserable decision, but one that's he's glad he made. If he hadn't, then his mother would be the one to find him in the bathtub when she got home from work. She'll call to him from the doorway as she walks in, and then check for him in his bedroom. When she finds it empty, then she'll notice that the light in the bathroom is on. She'll knock on the door and frown when she doesn't get an answer. Her knocking will become frantic, her calls wrought with worry. Then she'll use her quirk to open the door from the inside. She'll rush in, and she'll find Izuku.

It'll look like he just fell asleep in the water and accidentally drowned. Then his mother will blame herself for leaving for work. She'll blame herself for not staying to keep an eye on her only son. It's something that she will never forgive herself for. He can't do that to her, he won't. That's the only thing he cares about anymore.

Perhaps he should write a note after all. Izuku had decided against it the first time because he didn't want to make anything harder than it needed to be. He thinks about his regrets when he fell off the roof about not telling his mom how much he loves her. Perhaps if he wrote something down, he wouldn't feel like that. Would he write one in general or notes for specific people?

Not writing one just for his mother feels wrong. After everything they've been through, he feels like it will be cheating her out of all the things she deserves. He wishes he could do more for her - he could _be_ more for her. The overwhelming rush of inadequacy flattens him back into the water. He doesn't try to hold back the tears. The pain grounds him, keeps his mind focused.

It isn't until the water turns cold that Izuku leaves the tub. He doesn't bother drying himself, instead, he pulls an oversized shirt and boxers over damp skin. The fabric clings to his wet body like an embrace that Izuku so desperately needs. The inside of his mouth is acidic, but he's already in his room and the trip back to the bathroom for his toothbrush seems ten miles long. His bed calls out to him for rest, but Izuku refuses the temptation in favor of his desk. Inside the top right drawer is a brand new notebook. He had been planning on starting his fifteenth analysis, but now he feels that it has a better purpose.

Izuku feels strangely empty as he pulls the notebook out and lays it on the desk. He isn't quite recovered from his moments under the water, his mind still foggy. The tear-tracks on his face are chilled by the air against his heated skin. He doesn't know when the waterworks stopped, nor does he know why, he doesn't feel any better.

Izuku really doesn't feel anything at all.

The paper is cool under his fingertips as he opens the notebook. He smooths out the pristine paper with one hand as he grabs a pen with the other. When he writes in his notebooks, the words come easily. Theories and ideas flow out of him faster than he can physically write them down. But now, in the quietness of the apartment, ideas don't come to him. His heart and mind are just as heavy as his body. Now he understands why people don't leave notes. What could he possibly say? It feels like he'll need years to explain the turmoil swirling around his existence, the pain that simply living causes him.

Closing the notebook with a sigh, he finally gives in to the calls from his bed. The cool sheets are so drastically different from the hot water that his brain confuses itself even more. Izuku's exhausted, body and soul. He wants the sheets to swallow him whole. He wants to sink into the mattress and never come back. The pillow under his head is tempting, another way out, but he doesn't have the energy. Even thinking becomes too much of an effort.

Izuku waits for sleep to claim him, but it never does. His fatigue is so overwhelming that he begins to cry again. He just wants rest, he just wants to shut his mind down for _five minutes_, he just wants peace. Slowly, the tears stop for no reason. Probably because his body can no longer put forth the effort required. He finally begins to doze when he hears the sound of the front door opening.

It's not really sleeping, but he's not fully awake either. There are snippets he's aware of as he stays in bed until the next afternoon. His mother comes in to check on him at some point. She sits at the edge of his bed as she runs her hand through his curls. The sun sets and rises again. She comes back in the morning, this time with a warm cloth against his face. He probably smells awful. She offers him food at some point, but he declines by shaking his head. His voice is completely shot from disuse, crying, and then throwing up.

Izuku finally wakes up to sunlight in his eyes and the violent thrumming of his whole upper body. Retching had probably made his injuries worse. He wonders if he should go back to a doctor, but that means having to tell someone about what's happened and that's not a conversation he looks forward to having with anyone. The sunlight is too bright to ignore, so he eventually pulls himself out of bed. He glances at the clock next to his bed to see that it's almost two.

The small amount of rest he was able to get gives him the drive to go to the bathroom and actually clean himself up. Izuku slips on a pair of pants, brushes his teeth, combs his hair, and washes his face. The dark bags under his eyes lessen but are still prominent. Leaning over the sink causes the pain in his chest to double under the strain. He wants to lay down, but Izuku is restless. The itch to leave the apartment crawls up his spine. He needs space, air.

His mother is in the living room watching tv when he looks for her. Some new romance drama is playing, but when she notices his presence, she quickly changes the channel. She blushes and fumbles over her words, but he hears something along the lines of "Izuku, what are you doing up? I thought you were still sleeping!"

Izuku smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his neck. "I know it sounds silly, but I'm tired of sleeping. I think I'm going to go for a walk, get some fresh air."

"Oh," Inko says as she calms down. She eyes him warily. "Are you sure? Or, are you hungry? I made some sandwiches for lunch, I can get one out for you."

He shakes his head softly. "No, that's okay, but thanks."

She doesn't say any more, so Izuku takes that as his cue to leave. He slips on his red sneakers and makes sure he has his phone on him. When he pulls open the front door, his mother calls out to him. He turns around and sees her with a small smile on her face.

"Be careful, I love you."

Izuku's throat closes, but he forces the words out anyway. "I love you too, Mom." He quickly steps out and shuts the door before he does something he'll regret, like something as stupid as crying.

The route he takes is random. He lets his feet choose the way as his mind shuts itself off. He needs to go somewhere, he needs air. Izuku just needs time to stop for five seconds so that he can catch up. The world blurs around him in a rush as he picks up the pace. This is too much. Existing is too much.

When the sounds pick up volume around him, Izuku notices that he's come to the new shopping outlet that was built last summer. He hasn't had a chance to come yet, but he overhears classmates at school talking about it constantly. Even though he knew it was the largest center in Musutafu, he's not prepared for the sheer vastness of it. There must be over a hundred different stores and it's no surprise how packed it is considering it's a Saturday afternoon.

Izuku finds the crowds comforting. Among the throng of people, he's just another face in the crowd, another bystander. All of the bodies weave around each other like clockwork. Izuku walks to walk, glancing at the different options. There's a store dedicated to almost anything, books, shoes, hoodies, athletic wear, hero merchandise. He's drawn to the last one, but he only has his phone on him and he's not going to do that to himself.

Continuing to walk aimlessly, he thinks he hears someone call out to him, but he chalks it up to his imagination. When he hears it again, Izuku tries to look around for a classmate. There are so many people that the action is fruitless. He once again gives up and takes a seat on the edge of a nearby fountain.

"Young Midoriya!"

This time when he looks, the tangles of yellow hair are unmistakable. Yagi waves at him from among a crowd of teenagers. Yes, the man is tall, but Izuku is surprised that Yagi could even see him from all the way over there. Instead of the yellow suit, the man is now wearing a plain white t-shirt and green cargo pants, both of which are still way too big on his thin frame. When Yagi catches up to him, Izuku can clearly tell the man is out of breath.

"Ah, young Midoriya, what a coincidence. Are you feeling better?" he asks.

There's something about zombie before him that makes Izuku want to lay himself bare. For some reason, he doesn't want to pretend anymore. Yagi seems like someone who understands what it means to have to deal with others. "They hurt, but, um, that's to be expected. And you? Did you ever get to see... Recovery Girl? Is that right?"

Yagi smiles and nods. "Yes, she came back a few hours after you left. You could probably go back to see her now, if you wanted."

"That's okay. You have to be a student to get in and well, to be honest, it's a little intimidating there with all those heroes... Anyways, what are you doing here?" Izuku asks.

As if suddenly remembering something important, Yagi's whole demeanor lights up. "Oh, yes. I... err, saw someone I thought I knew, and I came to see if I could find them."

"Are you old friends?"

Yagi nods. "Something like that."

"Do you," Izuku bites his lip, not sure if he wants to ask the question, "do you want some help?"

Yagi opens his mouth to respond, but a loud explosion interrupts him. Izuku turns to see a large cloud of smoke billow up from one of the shops. People are screaming and running in the opposite direction. He and Yagi look at each other before they both head for the source of the destruction. They have to fight against the crowd, pushing and shoving against the uproar.

The explosion came from a jewelry store. There are civilians on the ground, shards of glass and debris in their bodies. Izuku watches in horror as a villain emerges from the dilapidated building. He's a dark green glob of... something, and when Izuku looks closer, he can see that there's a little girl trapped in his body. She's fighting against him, but it looks like she can't breathe. She's going to suffocate if no one does anything.

There are no pro heroes around, the blast being so recent. It's impossible to try and predict when one will show up. Izuku's always watched villain and hero battles on tv or online, but he's never had to face one himself. There are always heroes, there has to be. Otherwise, who's going to save that little girl? Izuku turns to look at the only adult he knows.

Yagi is staring intensely at the scene, especially the villain. Izuku can tell by the way his jaw is clenched that he's just as distraught as he is. Izuku wants Yagi to do something, but the man looks like a strong breeze could blow him over at any moment. No, he can't do anything either.

Izuku watches with bated breath as the girl's struggles weaken. They're losing time. Where are the pros? Surely _someone _has to be coming. Someone has to do something. Izuku's breath is fast and his heart is racing, blood is rushing in his ears. Before he knows it, he's running. He can't stop himself. He doesn't have a quirk, or any kind of weapon, but maybe he can slow down the villains enough for a hero to show up, or a side kick at least. Izuku's been looking for a way out anyway, and if he can save this little girl on the way, well, there's nothing stopping him now.

He shouts something at the villain when he finally reaches him. It catches him – her? – off guard. Izuku's first instinct is to claw at the goo until he can dig the girl out, but when his hands just slide through the substance, he knows it's pointless. Quickly changing tactics, he shoves his hand in and grabs the girl's arm. She's still awake, barely, watching him with half-lidded eyes. Despite the terror running through his body and the agony in his chest, he's smiling. He doesn't want her to be scared.

"It's okay, I've got you. The heroes are on their way. Don't be scared, okay?"

Miraculously, the girl seems to understand, and she nods at him. He tries to pull her out, but is horrified to find that instead of pulling away, he's being dragged in. The villain is talking, yelling at him, but Izuku's ears are ringing.

He yanks his arm as hard as he can. Any more and he'll probably jerk it out of his socket. It's not working, nothing is working. The villain's body is encompassing his own, already surrounding his head. Izuku can't breathe with the goo in his nose and throat. He's going to die here, and he's not even going to have that little girl's life to show for it.

"_TEXAS SMASH!"_

Suddenly, the villain is being blown backward by a burst of powerful air. Somehow, Izuku manages to keep ahold of the girl's hand. Izuku knows that voice, he knows that attack. He looks behind him, and to both his relief and astonishment, All Might – the number one hero and the Symbol of Peace – is standing behind him. All of the photos Izuku's ever seen of him don't do him justice. All Might is huge in person, he must be over seven-feet-tall at least, and he's built like a train. There isn't a single blond hair out of place. He's smiling. Of course he's smiling, he's never afraid.

The force of All Might's attack is so strong that it literally forces the villain's body to fall apart and splatter. Izuku wraps his arms around the little girl and tugs her away, both of them falling to the ground in the process. They're both coughing and spluttering. He feels like no matter how hard he tries; he can't take a deep enough breath. The girl seems okay, she's still conscious, and Izuku has never been happier. He looks behind him for All Might, to thank him and maybe even talk to him - get an autograph if he's really lucky - but the hero is gone. As quickly as he came, he vanished. Izuku finally hears the sirens of police cars in the distance as his eyes land on Yagi in the crowd, blood dripping down his chin from the corner of his mouth.

At first, Izuku is worried, but then he realizes that Yagi probably over-stressed himself. After all, he wasn't close enough to the fight to actually be injured. The man perpetually looks like death has claimed him, so Izuku wouldn't be surprised if he had some underlying condition that was worsened by the stress of the villain's attack. Maybe Cystic Fibrosis? That causes people to cough up blood, doesn't it? In any case, Izuku is sure the smoke isn't helping.

When the paramedics arrive, he all but shoves the sobbing girl in their arms. She has years of victim-hostage therapy in front of her, of that Izuku has no doubt. The EMTs try to treat him as well, but he waves them off. Now that he isn't gasping for breath, the pain in his chest has reduced to sharp throbbing. That doesn't mean, however, that his heart has stopped pounding, or his ears have stopped ringing.

When he locks eyes with Yagi again, the man's gaze on him is calculating. Izuku stands up and makes his way over, knowing that he's about to get an earful. His legs are wobbly when he first stands up now that he doesn't have adrenaline coursing through his veins anymore. He regains his footing as he crosses the distance between them.

Izuku begins to speak but is quickly cut off, "Are you alr—"

"Come with me, young man." Yagi's tone is one that leaves no room for argument, but it's not dangerous or threatening. Although he's always been told to never follow strangers alone, especially old men, Izuku does exactly what Yagi tells him as he begins to walk away. He's sure that Yagi is just going to yell and chastise him someplace more private.

Their walk is longer than Izuku expects. He grows more curious as they pass restaurants and cafes, all of which offer them adequate seclusion, but Izuku doesn't stop following Yagi. When they suspiciously walk towards the location of his apartment building, Izuku convinces himself that Yagi knows where he lives and is going to rat everything that's happened in the past several days out to his mother. They pass his neighborhood too and Izuku releases a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Yagi finally stops and Izuku nearly runs into him. He looks around and realizes they're at the beach. Well, it's more like a dump now. Izuku remembers playing in the water with Kacchan when they were little, pretending that they had aquatic quirks. They would splash each other and see how long they could hold their breath. Unfortunately, the nearby currents swept trash onto the shore. Residents tried to keep it clean, but they began to leave their own trash there as well. What was once a beautiful landscape is now covered in enormous piles of garbage.

Yagi makes his way over to one said pile and sits on a discarded washing machine. Izuku remains standing until Yagi gestures to an upright tire that Izuku climbs on top of. They're sitting only an arm's length away, facing each other. For a moment, the two of them just sit there, staring at each other.

The older man is the one who breaks the silence, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

Of all the things Izuku expected to come out of Yagi's mouth, that was nowhere on the list. Heat rises to Izuku's face as he stutters, _"W-what?"_ Maybe he should have listened to everyone's advice after all.

Yagi seems to realize the implications of his words when his face reddens. He waves his twig-like arms in front of him. "_No!_ That's not what I – look, I meant your chest – _no,_" Yagi coughs into his hand to gather himself. "I mean, your _injuries._"

"Oh." The shift in the air over their conversation is almost palpable. At first, it was a hesitant curiosity, then it all went to shit with Yagi's comment, and now... the atmosphere is raw. In the aftermath of the villain's attack, both of them fighting their own demons, Izuku finds himself feeling laid bare before Yagi once again.

This is the reason Izuku grabs the hem of his oversized shirt. It's filthy now, covered in sweat, soot, and vague remnants of the villain. He doesn't take it off completely. Instead, Izuku lifts it up enough to show the swollen near-black bruises that litter his skin. Yagi looks at them for a few seconds before he reaches his arm out.

"May I?" Yagi asks.

Izuku nods and watches Yagi's hand lay over the injury. By the way the man holds himself and his overall demeanor, Izuku expects his hands to be rough, maybe even shaky. To his immense surprise and relief, Yagi's touch is gentle and steady. His hand is warm as he examines him and is even more careful than Dr. Himura had been. Izuku wonders if Yagi is a medical professional - or was.

"Thankfully, it doesn't look like you're any worse off than before." Izuku lowers his shirt once Yagi takes his hand away. Yagi sighs as he continues. "Well, a deal's a deal." Izuku doesn't know what deal he's talking about until the other man lifts his own white shirt.

A grotesque pit the size of a fist takes up Yagi's left torso, centered just under his ribs. The wound and surrounding skin are discolored a dark purple and are wrinkled. By the way it's sunken, Izuku can tell things are missing from Yagi's body. Burn-like tendrils from the center of the wound encompass the rest of his chest. Izuku doesn't bother trying to hide his gasp.

"Pretty gross, right?" Yagi asks, his tone too casual for talking about such a grievous wound. "Got it about five years back. My respiratory system was basically destroyed, and they had to remove my whole stomach. All the surgeries have worn me out, and it can't be fixed."

Izuku's mind is racing, calculating. A wound like that had to be caused by a villain, and a powerful one at that. If that's the case, though, that means that Yagi's a pro hero! Or was one, anyways. No wonder Izuku felt so calm around the other man. It also explains why he's so meddlesome. Yagi said the injury was five years old. Izuku wracks his brain to try and see if there were any huge fights that year. The only fight that comes to mind is All Might's fight with Toxic Chainsaw. So, when all's said and done, Izuku has no way to figure out which pro hero Yagi was. It's possible he was an underground hero, like Eraserhead is.

"When you asked me if I thought someone without a quirk could become a hero, this wound is why I told you that some villains are just too strong... but it doesn't _just_ take strength to be a hero." Yagi's eyes narrow, his gaze piercing. He lets go of his shirt and the fabric falls back down, concealing the wound. "What you did today was reckless. Despite the fact that you had no hope of winning and you were – are – injured, you still rushed in to save that girl."

"There are stories about every hero, how they became great," he continues. "Most have one thing in common. Some might think it's strength or intelligence, but it's neither. Their bodies move before they have a chance to think, almost on their own. And today, that's what happened to you..." Yagi trails off for a moment.

Izuku doesn't know where the conversation is going, but he has a pro hero in front of him telling him what it is to be a hero, and that he has it. He thinks back to his mother, what she had said to him when they found out he was quirkless.

_'I'm so sorry, Izuku... I wish things were different,'_ her voice had trembled as tears welled in her eyes. But that's not what he wanted or needed to hear from her. What he needed to hear was –

"Young man... you too, can become a hero."

For the second time, Yagimakes Izuku cry, but for an entirely different reason.


	3. Chapter 3

He can feel everyone's eyes on him as he walks through the hallway. Sure, he's never really missed school before, but it was only two days! When he woke up that morning, a couple days after his talk with Yagi, he finally felt ready to return to school. That, and if he missed anymore, the school would probably get in touch with his mother. Either way, missing another day seemed to cause more trouble than it was worth.

Despite his two-day absence, Izuku is quick to jump back into the fray. Like he expects, no one offers their notes to him, which isn't as bothersome as he feels it should be. He's thankful he's such a top student, otherwise, his grades would be sinking. The beginning of the day passed in a normal fashion. Homeroom, lecture, notes, lecture – all of which help him fall back into the synchronization he had lacked the past several days.

All that changes when Izuku leaves for lunch. He's prepared to eat by himself outside, as per his usual routine. He's barely out the classroom door when he's shoved up against a set of lockers. The breath is knocked out of his lungs and his bones groan in protest. Izuku doesn't need to look up to know who his attacker is.

"_Deku_," the other boy snarls, his spikey blond hair aligned with his mood. Even though he's said it over a thousand times by now, it's no less jarring. Izuku looks up to see blood-red eyes glaring at him.

"Hey K-kacchan…" he stutters. Kacchan glares at Izuku like he's the gum stuck on the elder boy's shoe. Glancing over Kacchan's shoulder, Izuku can see his two lackeys not far behind.

"Not gonna lie, Deku, I was getting kinda worried there for a little bit. To be honest, I didn't think that I would ever notice if you were to disappear. That is, until we didn't have to listen to your stupid ideas anymore and could actually focus on _important_ stuff for once. At first, I thought that maybe you were hiding away. When you missed a second day, well, I thought that maybe you had taken my advice to heart… but no. You may be weak, but you're not a coward."

_'You give me too much credit, Kacchan.'_

"Imagine my surprise," he continues, "when on the news, I hear about a villain attack at the shopping center downtown and a green-haired, quirkless loser trying to be a hero. Only, he failed miserably and had to be saved by All Might. I would say I'm jealous you got to meet the number one hero, but just imagine how you must've looked to him… how much of a failure you are."

_'Stop it.'_

"Hopefully this embarrassment has finally gotten it through your thick skull."

_'Please.'_

"You'll never be a hero. How are you supposed to save anyone when you can't even save yourself? You're just Deku. You're worthless."

Of course he is. Does Kacchan really think that Izuku doesn't know that? That he doesn't understand how much of a waste of space he is? He knows. He knows all too well how useless a quirkless son is to two parents with amazing quirks. His mother never says anything, but Izuku knows that's why his father left. She doesn't have to, he's not stupid. What a disappointment he must've been to a man who can literally breathe fire and a woman who can move things with her mind.

Kacchan seems to get whatever it is that he was after because he lets go of Izuku's shirt with a shove and disappears down the hall. A moment passes, two moments, and Izuku forces all of this… murkiness back down into his chest. He shoves it down until it physically hurts. A bright, fake smile plasters itself on his face on autopilot. None of this is new. Kacchan's been picking on him for years. This is all just part of his normal school routine. Izuku doesn't know why he's so much more upset than usual. Maybe it's because of what Yagi said to him Saturday, because the ex-pro hero had given him hope.

Izuku uses the time he has left of lunch to eat some of his packed food. He's not upset that he can't finish. After what just happened, he doesn't have much of an appetite. The rest of the school day passes smoothly. Kacchan leaves him alone, his classmates avoid him, and the teachers give him his missed work. His walk home is also normal, no villains. When he sees his apartment come into view, he decides that he's gonna take a nap before he does his homework.

To his surprise, he can hear voices coming from the kitchen. He calls out a customary, "I'm home."

"Izuku," his mom cheers as she enters the doorway.

She's smiling so bright, it's contagious. He smiles back and asks, "Who's here?"

"Can you believe it, Izuku? A teacher from U.A. is here to talk with you!"

Izuku blinks at her. "What? I haven't sent in my application yet, why would they be here?

"Who cares? C'mon!"

She grabs her son's hand and pulls him into the kitchen where a familiar head of scraggly blond hair is waiting for him. "Ah, Young Midoriya! Just the man I wanted to see."

And just like that, any hope he had about the rest of his day being peaceful has flown through the window. The last time he and Yagi spoke, there was a villain attack and he nearly died – _again_. But then Izuku thinks about Yagi's parting words to him and his mood perks back up.

"Yagi, what are you doing here? I didn't know you worked at U.A."

"It's a new position, I can assure you. Anyways, I've heard that you're interested in applying to U.A. for next year, so I'd like to speak with you," Yagi pauses to clear his throat and stare pointedly at Izuku's mother. When she doesn't take the hint, he says, "privately."

"Oh… well, I'll just be in my room, Izuku, if you need anything." With those parting words, Inko leaves the room.

Neither Izuku nor Yagi say anything. They just stare at each other. Izuku feels like Yagi is assessing him all over again. "Tell me, young man, what do you know about All Might?"

Izuku laughs sheepishly, "I'm a bit of a fanboy, actually, so you'll have to be more specific."

"His quirk."

Izuku rubs his chin in thought. "It's actually pretty fascinating," he begins. "All Might is the number one hero and therefore, always in the spotlight and hounded by the media. Despite this – and not for lack of trying – no one actually knows what All Might's quirk is. Based on his fighting style and physique, analysts think it's some sort of strength quirk."

"Wow, kid, you really do know your stuff," Yagi chuckles, but then his gaze sharpens, and his lips press together. He leans forward with his arms on the table. "Young Midoriya, what I'm about to tell you must not leave this room, do you understand?"

Yagi's tone is dark and unsettling. Yet… it sounds like they're going to be talking about hero stuff. Secret hero stuff, about All Might no less. Izuku's absolutely giddy. He's already thinking about how he'll need a new notebook to even begin analyzing something as game-changing as All Might's quirk. He barely stops to think about how Yagi might know such top-secret information to begin with. Perhaps he's a close friend of All Might? After all, Yagi used to be a pro hero and he works at U.A., which is All Might's alma mater. They might've even gone to school together, worked together. There's so much to unpack here, but right now, Yagi is waiting for an answer.

"Yes, of course. I promise," Izuku says.

Yagi stares at him for a moment longer, calculating. He seems to believe him. "It's called _One for All_, and it's a stockpiling quirk."

"A what?" Izuku asks. He's never heard of a quirk like that before.

"_One for All _combines the powers of its different uses into one and can release that power at different levels."

Izuku's thoughts screech to a halt. "Wait, different users? You make it sound like it can be transferred, but that's impossible. Sure, scientists have tried, but there's been no reports of a quirk that is transferable, not even amongst family members. If All Might's power - the number one hero's - could be given to someone else, the ramifications would be huge. Ignoring that it could mean all quirks can be transferred, but it would also paint a huge target on his back. Villains would do anything to get a hold of it. I mean, could you imagine, having All Might's quirk? The things you could do?"

Of course, Izuku's thought about it. Hundreds, if not thousands of times. His fascination with the Symbol of Peace had started when he was young, just a few years old. It was the hero's debut video, his first major rescue.

_The video quality was grainy and the audio crackled, but Izuku couldn't tear his eyes away from the screen. There was so much smoke from the debris and fire that it looked like it was nighttime in the middle of the day. A bus had been turned over from a huge piece of metal that had fallen from the building. It was a skyscraper, collapsing, bringing the surrounding city down with it. The audio was filled with the sounds of people crying and coughing, clearly in pain. Izuku was prepared to turn the video off, scared out of his wits._

_ But then he saw him._

_ All Might had appeared out of nowhere, wearing his silver-age red, white, and blue suit in all its glory. He climbed on top of the bus, his muscles straining under the weight he carried. On his back were seven injured civilians from the building, and he carried two people in each arm, making that eleven people that he was carrying at once, all of them dead weight but alive. Despite the chaos around him and the physical strain he was under, he was smiling. He was smiling so brightly in such darkness that for a moment, Izuku thought he was the sun personified._

_"Fear not citizens, hope has arrived… because I am here!"_

And in the course of one day, the entire world was introduced to All Might, the number one hero, and the Symbol of Peace. Izuku's obsession with professional heroes started there. He binged the video constantly, watching four or five times a day. Inko might've thought it a little unhealthy, but what young boy wasn't obsessed with All Might? And that was how he met Kacchan, at daycare, pretend capes flowing behind them as they saved everyone that needed help, together as a team. They waited for their own quirks to manifest so that they, too, could join the fray.

Kacchan's quirk was the first to manifest out of their whole group. Not only was his quirk first, but it was powerful too. He secreted nitroglycerin through his sweat which he could ignite using his palms. It complemented the brazen boy perfectly. The heat of the flames matched his crimson eyes, and the explosions his spikey blond hair. But you know what they say about absolute power. Kacchan became much more aggressive and arrogant, bordering on malicious, but Izuku didn't care. How could he when he was too busy being excited that his best friend had gotten the powerful quirk he wanted? Izuku couldn't wait for his own so that he would no longer be in Kacchan's shadow, but fighting by his best friend's side where he had once been.

So Izuku waited.

And he waited.

And waited.

He and his mother waited until the placations of, _"you're still young; you're just a late bloomer; just wait and see," _couldn't cut it anymore. They waited for the appointment with the quirk development specialist. They waited for the results of his foot x-ray that would hold all the answers they were waiting for. Izuku sat at the edge of the doctor's rolling chair, too excited and energetic to even think about sitting on the examination table. He saw the specialist pour over the bones in his foot. Izuku watched the doctor sit down, turn to them, and open his mouth to tell them the good news.

_"Yeah, it's not gonna happen. We don't know the cause of it, but there's a one-hundred percent correlation between specific bone structure in the foot and quirk manifestation. Your son doesn't have it. He's quirkless. Here are some support groups I can recommend, if you'd like."_

Izuku's obsession with All Might's debut video continued, even got worse, but instead of watching it with love and affection, he watched it with nothing but despair. Even at the age of four, Izuku cursed the world's unfairness. Wasn't it unfair enough that his dad left? Wasn't it unfair enough that the other kids teased him mercilessly? Wasn't it unfair enough that his best friend hated him? No. On top of everything else, Izuku was quirkless.

"It is transferable. Believe it or not, I wasn't born with this ability. One person improves the power, then hands it off to another person, and it continues to grow as it's passed along. It is this power that allows me to protect people as the number one hero."

"Wait, are you saying…?"

Yagi nods, "I'm All Might."

Of all the ways for Izuku to respond, he laughs. Just the idea of the frail man before him being the same one who carried a dozen people on his back has him laughing so hard his sides hurt. Not only that, but the wound on Yagi's abdomen is severe. He doubts that All Might would still be able to do pro hero work like that.

When Izuku looks over, he sees that Yagi doesn't look amused. Izuku calms down. "You're serious?"

Yagi nods. Izuku doesn't know how to respond, but he doesn't have to. There's a large burst of air that forces him to close his eyes. When he opens them again, Yagi is no longer there. Instead, All Might, the same seven-foot pro hero from Saturday, is sitting before him.

He's smiling and giving him a thumbs up. "See, Young Midoriya?" Even the man's voice matched the deep baritone commonly heard in interviews. "I told you th—"

The booming voice is cut off by a violent bloody cough and suddenly Yagi is back in front of him. Izuku's mind is struggling to wrap itself around the concept. "B-But how?"

Yagi sighs, "You know how all the guys at the pool are suckin' in and flexing, trying to look buff? I'm like that. As I said earlier, _One for All_ is a stockpiling quirk, so I can choose when and how much power I want to use. Because of my injury, I can only do hero work for about three hours a day."

There's so much information, too much information. Yagi is All Might. Yagi is All Might. _Yagi is All Might._

Yagi is Izuku's childhood idol. This whole time, Izuku's really been talking to All Might: back at U.A., the mall, the beach, and even now. Heat rises to Izuku's cheeks. That explains why Yagi was bleeding after the villain's attack Saturday. He was fighting, protecting. He had saved Izuku.

"Thank you."

Yagi - All Might? - makes a confused sound.

"Saturday," Izuku clarifies. "You saved me and that girl."

The hero's face falls. "I wasn't going to," he admits.

"…what?"

Yagi looks away and if Izuku didn't know any better, he would say that the man looks ashamed. "I'm sure you've heard it on the news, but I've been chasing that particular villain for a while. I was out of stamina by the time I ran into you at the mall. I didn't have any intention of fighting him. I just wanted to find him and then report it to the authorities. Even when he had that girl, I was prepared to just stand there as a helpless bystander."

He meets Izuku's gaze. "And then I saw you… and I was reminded of what it meant to be a hero. We risk our lives every day to protect others, regardless of the circumstances. So really, I should be thanking you."

"That's flattering and all," Izuku says, scratching his head. "But why are you telling me this? And about your quirk? Why me?"

"Like I said, I can only work for three hours a day. I suspect less so now, after straining myself Saturday. I was searching for a worthy successor when I saw you jump into action while the rest of us stood idly by. I deem you worthy of my power, Izuku, my quirk is yours to inherit."

Izuku feels like he's back at the mall. His ears are ringing, his heart racing. He breaks eye contact in favor of looking anywhere but at the man in front of him. The idea of having a quirk – All Might's quirk – is all-consuming. He'd be able to protect people. He'd be able to become a hero. But the main thought he has now is that he'd be able to catch up to Kacchan, maybe even surpass him.

_"So no, honestly, I don't think anyone could become a hero if they don't have a quirk."_

_"Just imagine how you must've looked to him… how much of a failure you are."_

_"I'm so sorry, Izuku… I wish things were different."_

It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and Izuku knows what his answer will be. He takes a deep breath and meets Yagi's gaze. "No."

Yagi's eyes widen. "No?"

"No."

"I'm not gonna force it on you, but it's hard to act like I'm not surprised. Can I ask why?"

"Yagi - All Might - you're the Symbol of Peace. The only thing I've ever wanted is to be like you… but I can't. Your quirk, I can't even imagine what it would be like to have it. The fact that you even considered me is amazing, but there are so many other people stronger than me, that can do more with it, that are better able."

The person that comes to mind is Kacchan. Not only is he strong, but he's determined. He has resolve, much more than Izuku. Izuku's been ready to clock out since Wednesday. If he can't handle being quirkless, how could he possibly handle _One for All_? He can't. It's as simple as that.

"Better abled, perhaps," Yagi replies. "As I've said, strength isn't the only thing that matters when it comes to pro hero work, but I respect your decision. Are you sure you won't take it?"

Izuku's heart shatters. It feels like he's signing his own death certificate. He nods, "I'm sure."

"Okay. Regardless, I meant what I said earlier, you don't need a quirk to become a hero. With that in mind…" Yagi's voice trails off as he reaches into a bag Izuku hasn't noticed until now. He pulls out a stack of papers, sits them on the table, and slides them to Izuku.

Izuku looks at them, flipping through the first few pages. It almost looks like, "A schedule?" he asks.

Yagi nods. "You can become a hero, young Midoriya, but not as you are now. As such, I've created a training regimen with your specific body in mind. If you follow this, you'll be ready for U.A.'s entrance exam ten months from now. What do you say?"

Looking at the schedule more closely, Izuku can see that every aspect of his life has been planned out, even his sleep. Taking his body into account, a regimen like this would severely increase not only his muscle mass, but his endurance and stamina as well. Yagi's right, in ten months, Izuku's physical ability would be on a whole other level. But is it worth it? After all, does he even still want to be a pro hero?

Obviously he_ wants_ to, but wanting something is not the same thing as having it. Izuku's life had taught him little else over the past thirteen years. But perhaps… if he were to at least try Yagi's plan, then maybe…

"Okay."

Yagi's face lights up. "Okay?"

"Okay," Izuku nods. "I'll do it."

Yagi grins and tells Izuku to meet him at U.A. after school the next day. Izuku agrees and the hero leaves shortly after. Izuku tells his mom that it's safe to come out now. As expected, she not-so-subtly hounds him on what they talked about. Izuku doesn't want to lie to her, so he tells her the simplified truth. Yagi is helping him prepare for U.A.'s entrance exam. He shows her the list of food Yagi had included that he wants Izuku to start eating. If she's hesitant about the recent events, she doesn't show it.

"Of course I'll make these for you! I just want to help you any way I can."

His chest relaxes and he smiles. "Thanks, Mom."

School passes by the next day uneventfully. Kacchan insults him as usual, but Izuku isn't concerned. He isn't bothered by the other boy's words. For the first time in what feels like years, Izuku is actually excited to go to U.A., now that he's going on his own terms.

So, when Izuku stops outside U.A.'s massive entrance, he can't help but look in awe at the school's sleek and modern design. He's only gazing for a little while before the security gate opens and Yagi appears from the other side. Yagi waves him forward. Hurrying, Izuku jogs to catch up to the man before the gate shuts him out.

The security of U.A. may seem dramatic for a high school, but it is well-warranted. U.A. holds several pro heroes at once within its walls. But more than that, it holds hundreds of _future_ pro heroes. Many of the children who attend the prestigious high school are affiliated with hero families and relations. That makes U.A. a prime target for villains, especially since they're children. It may seem dark, but that's the reality of living in a super-powered society. Thankfully, with All Might being the Symbol of Peace and its security, the school has remained undisturbed so far.

Yagi greets him, but they don't talk much as he leads Izuku through the halls. They enter a room Izuku instantly recognizes as the infirmary. Instead of Dr. Himura, however, a tiny old woman is sitting at the desk. Her aged silver hair is pulled back into a tight bun. She's wearing some sort of pink helmet. She turns to them when they enter and her attention lands on the blond.

"Toshinori, what are you doing here? Who is this?"

Yagi pats Izuku on his back, but even when in his weakened state, the gesture is strong enough to nearly knock Izuku off his feet. "Young Midoriya here had a run-in with a villain over the weekend while you were gone, so I was hoping you'd be kind enough to heal him for me."

Based on the helmet the woman wears, which Izuku can now tell has a purple visor shielding her eyes, Izuku guesses that this is the Recovery Girl that Eraserhead had tried to take him to Wednesday.

"Midoriya?" she asks. "I skimmed over his file when I got back. I thought Aizawa had brought him in because he fell and was caught with his scarf?" Although it's a question, her tone is accusatory as she glares at Yagi. Said man chuckles awkwardly, which earns him a huff of indignation.

Regardless of her feelings towards Yagi, Recovery Girl smiles softly at Izuku. "C'mere, son. Has Toshinori explained how my quirk works?"

Izuku shakes his head. "No, ma'am."

"In short, I can use your body's energy to speed up your healing. It may sound nice, but depending on the severity of your injuries, my quirk can leave you drained and exhausted, so don't be reckless." Her gaze settles on Yagi briefly, but neither comment on it.

Izuku, fanboy at heart, is about to ask her how it works, but he's interrupted by a soft kiss on the back of his hand. He didn't even see her grab his hand. Izuku blushes fiercely and stammers. Within moments, however, the ache in his chest vanishes. The only payment to show for the quirk is a loud yawn that only makes Izuku blush harder. Recovery Girl and Yagi both laugh at him.

Izuku can't help but wonder what he's gotten himself into.


	4. Chapter 4

Even though the beach is still covered in trash, the light of the rising sun gives the shore back its beauty. The tide is low, gently lapping at the sand. It only takes a moment for Izuku to spot Yagi's silhouette nearby. He walks over to the man, but before Izuku has a chance to say anything, Yagi changes into All Might. Now that they're standing side-by-side, Izuku is struck by how small he is next to the hero. He barely makes it to All Might's elbows.

"Young Midoriya!" All Might's attitude is much more enthusiastic in this form. "Are you ready to start your training?"

Izuku nods, smiling softly. "Yeah… I'm ready."

"Plus Ultra!" All Might gives him a thumbs up. "Your task is to clean up this beach!"

Izuku gulps, staring at the dump around them. Some of the piles of garbage are over fifteen feet. Although, if Izuku thinks about it, by cleaning up the beach he'll be working all the different parts of his body. Perhaps All Might does have a method to his madness.

The hero wraps a rope around a refrigerator and climbs on top. "You can start with this, young Midoriya."

Not sure how to proceed, Izuku grabs the edge of the rope, holding it across his chest as he tugs on it. It's expected that it won't budge, but Izuku can't stop his spirits from falling because of the lack of progress. Izuku doesn't have the time to stand there feeling sorry for himself. Invigorated, he grips the rope again and heaves. The appliance actually slides a minute amount, causing Izuku to lose his balance. He falls to the ground as tears of frustration well up in his eyes.

"Come on, young Midoriya! Surely you can do better than this!"

Upset, Izuku turns to glare at All Might. "It wouldn't be this hard if there wasn't a six-hundred-pound man sitting on it!"

The hero laughs boisterously, unperturbed. "I'll have you know I'm down to five-seventy-eight!"

When Izuku doesn't respond, All Might sobers up. He takes out his phone – which is tiny compared to his massive hand – and his camera flashes.

"Did you just take a picture?" Izuku asks, curious. All Might turns the phone around so that he could see the picture. It's himself, obviously, laying on the ground covered in sweat and sand. The tears in his eyes are obvious and so is the defeat. Izuku sighs, "I look like a wimp…"

"This is where you start," All Might says as he puts his phone away. "When reporters and historians ask where Izuku Midoriya started his journey, it will be here, this beach. When you are among the greats, you will look back at that picture and see how far you've come. Everyone will see what you've accomplished, what you've achieved. You'll become a symbol of growth and strength - a symbol of _peace_."

Izuku is sure that All Might is trying to be inspiring, trying to rally him. It has the opposite effect. Now all Izuku can think about is how much he has to live up to, how far he has to go. Being a symbol of growth sounds easy, but he actually has to get there first. He has to _grow_. And he only has ten months? It's impossible.

All Might may be the world's greatest hero, but he had said it himself that he had been looking for a successor before they met. It's obvious, isn't it?

God, he's such an idiot.

All of those talks, uplifting words… All Might doesn't mean any of it. The hero is just desperate. Izuku is just a last-minute scapegoat for his quirk. The hero can only work for three hours a day! All Might met him at the infirmary, saw an opportunity, and pounced on it – on him. It all makes sense now. Why else would the number one hero pay attention to a quirkless boy who wasn't even able to save a little girl? He can't even save himself from his own mind.

He can say all the pretty things he wants, but All Might doesn't care, not about him. He doesn't want to see Izuku succeed, he wants to see _One for All_ succeed. He's probably still hoping that Izuku will change his mind and accept his quirk. It's not gonna happen.

If Izuku's gonna do this, he's gonna do it on his own two feet.

All Might must take Izuku's silence for awe as he continues to push Izuku. For the first time in his life, Izuku blocks All Might's voice out. He grabs the rope and pulls. It's just as heavy as before – no movie magic has made his goal easier to achieve just because he's set his mind to it. They finish off the night with Izuku's newborn muscles burning. His clothes and hair are plastered to his skin with sweat. Izuku wants nothing more than to crawl into his bed and sleep for the next two days.

"Good work today, young Midoriya," Yagi says. "You keep on like this and I'll have no doubt that you'll pass the entrance exam with flying colors. For now, though, get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

Izuku nods, "Bye, Yagi," and they part ways.

Izuku watches his mentor's slim form getting smaller and smaller as the distance grows between them and he can't help but wonder. Who is the _real_ Yagi Toshinori? Is it the man that he met at U.A.? Or is it the pro hero the entire world worships? He knows that the truth is probably somewhere in between. The two forms are just so drastic, though, that Izuku has a hard time actually imagining a middle ground. He wonders if Yagi even knows which side is truly him.

These thoughts keep Izuku entertained until he arrives home. As usual, his mother is there to greet him when he comes through the door. She asks him where he's been and he tells her the truth, that he was exercising at the beach with Yagi. Inko smiles at him and tells him how proud she is that he's taking steps to reach his future. The smile doesn't quite reach her eyes, however, and Izuku knows that she's worried.

He doesn't blame her. He is still quirkless after all, and the whole Yagi-being-a-teacher-from-U.A. thing was sprung on her out of the blue yesterday. Despite all this, Izuku is ready. He's ready to show her that he can be a hero without a quirk and then she won't have to worry about him anymore. She'll be able to move on, just like he's always wanted her to. Except this time, maybe he'll still be in the picture.

The next day Izuku meets All Might at the beach again. It's another day full of training – moving fridges, rolling tires, and destroying containers. They continue for hours, which turns into days, weeks, and eventually into months. It doesn't take long for All Might to be recognized by passersby and every once in a while he'll be swarmed by fans while Izuku is collapsing under the weight of a dumpster.

Along the way, Izuku watches with awe as his body fills out, his muscles tone. He eats almost three times the amount he used to, but his mother never complains about cooking. She simply smiles as he adds more and more to the grocery list every week. He's even had to ask for new clothes because the extra-smalls no longer fit. Training constantly keeps him and, more importantly, his mind busy.

The progress is more than Izuku could have ever hoped for. That doesn't stop him, though, from prodding at his newly firm skin and seeing areas that still need improvement. His accomplishments do nothing to stop him from acknowledging all of the progress he still needs to make. He's still not moving fast enough. Izuku only has a few months before the exam and he's nowhere near where he needs to be.

With this in mind, Izuku slips more work into his daily routine. He stays up an extra hour every night and he starts lifting small weights under his desk at school. The extra training is tiring, but Izuku still isn't seeing the improvement he wants. So what if he's finding it harder and harder to keep his eyes open? It shouldn't matter when future lives are at stake.

Things break down – as they often do in Izuku's life - during a jog with Yagi in the park. Well, 'jog' is a generous way to put it. Yagi is using a Segway because he's spent the whole morning doing hero work. Izuku is trailing behind him carrying a safe filled with what must be rocks. That's what it feels like, anyways. Either way, it happens so fast. One minute, Izuku is listening to Yagi talking about hero work and the next thing he knows, Izuku's face is against the concrete.

Yagi notices his absence and rolls up to him. At first, he berates him to work harder while Izuku struggles to get back up. Yagi notices this and his eyes narrow. "You're overworked, aren't you?" It's less of a question and more of an accusation. Izuku lets his head fall in shame. "The training regimen I designed for you shouldn't leave you this exhausted. You've been adding stuff in. You're going to kill yourself like this."

Izuku mumbles to himself, his eyes stinging even though they're shut tight. The hole inside his chest that he's been able to ignore the past six months has finally returned.

Yagi must take Izuku's mumbles as backtalk when he frowns. "What?"

Suddenly, the dam breaks and Izuku whips his head up, his eyes meeting Yagi's. Tears are flowing hotly down his cheeks. "So what if I do?" he shouts. Yagi's eyes widen, but now that it's out in the open, Izuku can't hold himself back. "I'm just a quirkless nobody who can't even take care of himself. If I were to collapse from exhaustion or take a nose-dive off a bridge, _what's the difference?_ The world will have one less person to…" Izuku's words trail off then, his sobs clogging his throat and nose.

This isn't how he wanted things to go. If Izuku thought All Might thought little of him before, there is no telling what he thinks now. There's no amount of self-deprecating jokes or pretty words that would be able to cover what just came out of his mouth. What little chance of being a hero he had, it just flew out the window along with however little dignity he had left.

Izuku shifts into a sitting position when he feels like he can't breathe. The world is closing in and the pressure inside of him is building. He's hysterical now, he knows that much. What he doesn't understand are the thin, warm arms that wrap around him. Normally, such pressure feels constricting to him, but now the touch is grounding. Suddenly he knows which way is up and which is down.

"Deep breaths kid. That's it."

The panic doesn't vanish, but it ebbs away slowly. It eases until Izuku can tell that it's Yagi holding him and that they are, in fact, sitting in the middle of the sidewalk. When Izuku is no longer choking on his own tears, Yagi pulls him to his feet and they sit at a nearby bench.

They sit in silence for several minutes. Even though he's just broke down in front of his idol, the pit inside of Izuku seems to have lessened. It seems that by letting some of the pain out, there was less inside that he had to manage. Izuku dreads Yagi breaking the silence, but he does so anyway.

"As I've said before, _One for All_ was given to me. It seems like a lifetime ago now, but I haven't always had this power. All I wanted to do at your age was become a hero and, just like you, I was quirkless…" Yagi sighs.

Izuku looks at him, happy to focus his mind on anything but himself. Yagi looks forlorn, like he's reliving a dark part of his life. For some reason, Izuku can't imagine a young All Might. Izuku can't picture the number one hero being small and inexperienced – being someone like him. "Really?" he asks, because surely the man is lying.

Yagi nods. "I never knew what my predecessor saw in me… but now I'd like to think it's the same thing I see in you. When I look at you, I see a better version of myself. I have no doubt that you'll surpass me in every way, if given the opportunity. When I offered you my power, it wasn't out of pity or sympathy. I did it because the world needs someone like you, Midoriya. I'd like to extend that offer to you again, if you'd let me."

Izuku frowns, "I already told you I didn't want it. I can't take care of myself, let alone a quirk as powerful as yours."

"You're right," Yagi agrees. "You can't handle _One for All_, not as you are now. The sheer physical strain of its power would tear your body apart. But having great abilities doesn't just require a strong body, it requires a strong mind as well… I don't know what's inside your head, Midoriya, but I can tell that it's dark. I want you to meet with someone, a professional."

"I don't—"

"Needing to seek help is not a weakness, Izuku. We go to doctors to heal our body, all parts of it - mind included. Think about it. The world can't lose its future Symbol of Peace before they've ever had a chance to meet him." Of all the things that he thinks of, it's the railing from so long ago.

_He's back on top of the building, the air crisp against his skin. He grabs the metal frame and heaves himself up._

Yagi holds his hand out to Izuku. "Do we have a deal?"

_Izuku's on the ledge. Up here, such an important decision seems so simple. Just one step, and it'll all be over._

Izuku looks at Yagi's outstretched hand. Without hesitation, Izuku grabs it and shakes it firmly.

"Deal."

**There is no such thing as endings, only new beginnings.**

**Someone famous at one point said that, didn't they? Either way, I'm sad to part with this story. It may be short compared to others, but I'd like to think that it packs a punch regardless. For those of you sneaky enough to notice that this story has five parts, you would be correct. I do plan to add an epilogue. What about? Well... spoilers.**

**I'd love to know what you all thought of this story - how it made you feel, if you could relate to any of it. I'd also like to once again invite you to my discord. It's small, but the members enjoy reading fanfiction and talking about them. It's a good place to gather with fellow nerds, at any rate. Also, with this story finished, I now have a slot for another to start writing. So, if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!**

**Till next we meet,**  
**Thalia Gray**


	5. Epilogue

Izuku's mother pulls him into a tight embrace. "I'll be right here whenever you're finished. I'm so proud of you, Izuku, for doing this. Good luck, okay?"

Izuku nods and pulls away from her. The sudden lack of warmth causes him to shiver. Turning, he looks at the woman who called him back. She has short brown hair and bright green eyes. She's taller than average, wearing a navy-blue blouse with black dress pants and heels. She smiles at him, which helps him relax just a smidge.

He follows her back to her office. The lighting is dim and warm. "Please," she says, "take a seat." She gestures for him to sit on a grey couch while she sits in an armchair facing him. Izuku complies, sitting down right in the middle of the sofa. He rubs his hands in his lab. She's holding a folder that Izuku hadn't noticed before now. She flicks it open and reads whatever's inside.

"Hello Midoriya, my name is Mikoto Kotetsu, you can call me Mikoto. It's my understanding that Recovery Girl recommended me to you because you were experiencing depressive episodes and suicidal thoughts and actions?"

Izuku nods. "That's right."

Mikoto closes the folder, her eyes focused on him now. "Tell me a little about that."

"I, um…" Trying to explain it all in so few words is daunting. Izuku's never really spoken about this out loud, willingly.

"That's okay, Midoriya, whatever you're comfortable with."

"Well, I guess I've had… depressive thoughts for several years now, but the, um, other stuff, is more recent."

"And by 'other stuff,' do you mean thoughts of suicide?"

Izuku nods, his voice hidden somewhere in his chest. This just feels wrong. Talking about this so nonchalantly. What is this even supposed to do? How is this supposed to help? All this is doing is making Izuku want to crawl back in his bed and never get out. But he promised Yagi, and now his mother, that he would try.

"Okay," Mikoto says, her voice soft. Izuku finds it oddly comforting. All of her focus is on him, but Izuku finds it hard to look her in the eye. "And how do you feel about meeting here with me today? About speaking with a therapist?"

"Well… I never thought that I would actually speak with anyone about this stuff. I just, I've always been very independent."

Mikoto waits for him to continue, but when he doesn't, she prompts him further. "And how does this make you feel, right now?"

Izuku hesitates, he doesn't want to hurt her feelings, but Mikoto has already read his mind. "It's okay, Midoirya, you can be honest. I promise you won't hurt my feelings."

He can't help it, he cracks a smile, even giggles a little. Something about it is just funny. "I'm nervous… well, scared, I guess. I don't really see how this is going to help me."

Mikoto leans back in her chair. "Those are perfectly normal thoughts to have. Talking about our emotions, especially difficult ones, can be very scary, but it's talking about – _acknowledging_ – those feelings that helps us work through them. Now, you mentioned that you only started having suicidal thoughts a little while ago. Could there be anything that happened around or shortly before they started, that might be linked to them?"

"Well, my dad got a new job overseas at the beginning of the year, so it's just been Mom and me. And then, Kacchan's been… distant as well." Izuku answers, shifting in his seat.

"Okay. I'm sure your Dad being out of the house has been hard getting used to. And this 'Kacchan' seems like an important person to you."

Izuku's eyes light up. "Yeah, Kacchan and I have been friends since we were little because our moms are friends. But lately he's… been quite mean to me. Sometimes he acts like he's ashamed he knows me."

"That seems like a drastic turn around. Do you know why his behavior towards you changed?"

"Kacchan and I have always dreamed about becoming heroes, ever since we were little. He developed his quirk, a very strong one too, around four. Mine's only just now developed. So, I think a lot of it has to do with me being quirkless. I think that's why I embarrass him. He thinks I weigh him down."

"I see. And have you talked with 'Kacchan' about this?"

Izuku shakes his head. "No, like I said, we aren't close anymore, and even if we were, he's never been one to talk about his feelings. He prefers actions, instead."

"Okay… and have you talked to anyone else about your difficulties with Kacchan, or about your depression?"

"No, not really."

"Why not?"

Izuku blinks at her. It's a simple question, but _why hasn't he talked to anyone_? Really? When did he start believing that his Mother didn't love him enough to listen?

"I don't know, I—" Izuku stops, sighs. "I guess I didn't think they'd understand… and I didn't want them to know what I was thinking. I don't… I don't really have any friends other than Kacchan."

"I see. So, your Dad is away, and your best friend suddenly isn't your best friend anymore, and you haven't been talking with your mom. That sounds like it's pretty lonely, isn't it?"

Suddenly, the pit in Izuku's chest that's been trying to consume him the past few months – no, the past few years – has a name. _Loneliness_. It all slides into place, it all makes sense. It makes sense, and yet, the pit is still there. The pain still lingers. Izuku lets out a sob and is horrified, but Mikoto doesn't say anything, doesn't acknowledge his tears as progress or a breakthrough like he expects her to. Instead, she just holds out a box, offering him tissues. He takes a couple, grateful, and uses them to blow his clogged nose and wipe the tears off his face.

"Yeah, it's been p-pretty lone-lonely."

"Would you say that these feelings are interfering with your life?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Mikoto begins, adjusting her position to get more comfortable. "Are they keeping you from doing your schoolwork? Are they putting a strain on your relationships?"

Izuku instantly thinks of his mom, who's currently in the waiting room. She's probably twiddling her thumbs, anxious for him to return to her. When was the last time he had an actual conversation with her? One that he initiated?

"My schoolwork's been okay until recently, but I haven't actually talked to my mom in ages."

Mikoto nods. "Okay, tell me a bit more about your relationship with her."

Izuku tells her. He answers her questions, even the hard ones, and talks with her. Izuku feels like he's finally found someone who he can talk to, who understands him. And it's the strangest feeling because all she's done is ask him questions. All she's done is have him describe his thoughts, his feelings. When she brings their session to a close, he can't help but look forward to the next one in a few days.

He knows that nothing is going to magically vanish now that he's in therapy. He still has to actually talk to his mom, train with Yagi, and bridge the rift between himself and Kacchan. He leaves Mikoto's office relieved, and he can't help but feel that the pit inside him has gotten a little smaller.

**I've been wanting to write this epilogue for a while now, and I'm glad it's finally done. I wrote OTL for a myriad of reasons, but I wrote the epilogue for one. As I'm sure you can tell now, this is Izuku's first therapy sessions. As a future therapist, I think it's important for people to see what therapy can entail (and what it can offer). A lot of people are aware of their negative feelings, but often times they are too apprehensive about the stigma surrounding therapy to go themselves, or to ask for help in general. So I wrote this epilogue to showcase it, to show readers that this is what it's like to go. **

**In particular, Mikoto is holding a first CBT session for Izuku. CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The goal of CBT is to change how a patient processes their thoughts and emotions, and therefore, their behaviors. Mikoto asked Izuku a lot of 'how' and, more importantly, a lot of 'why' questions. By doing this, Mikoto is teaching Izuku to think about, well, his thinking and look at things from a different light. Of course, this is a very general explanation, and there are different levels and processes for different severities. Every person is unique and so are their therapy sessions. **

**With that being said, I'm ready to put this story to rest for good. I don't plan on writing anymore for this AU, it's been hard (but also strangely easy) to write. I implore you to join my discord if you haven't already. You can find the link in my bio, or you can PM me for one. I'm always happy to hear any requests that you may have, and I wish you the best of luck in your reading.**

**~ Thalia Gray**


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